A House Divided 2
by yoo-hoo luver.wlegs
Summary: Chap 3 is posted. ITS BACK! Iroh's warning take shape as Ozai's children take sibling rivalry to a new laevel and try to repeatedly scew eachtoher over. I guess you can say its darkly humorous if anything. You won't be lost if you didn't read the first. r
1. Positions of power

**Disclaimer: Don't own any thing remotely Avatar. Xue Wei doesn't count, her I own. My orange glass is in the dish washer, though and I have discovered the wonderful world of Iced Chai. Unfortunately drinking a whole pitcher of that stuff has its repercussions. I am not sure how life is now…**

**A/N: this takes place a few days before **

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I think that if all three would learn to work together, the Fire Nation will be unstoppable. But if the don't, it would divide the house, and a house divided, can not stand."- Uncle Iroh

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Prince Zuko leaned against a large intimidating column staring intently on the large equally intimidating doors that led into the war room. It was the room where his Uncle went in with all the other generals with a grim look to his countenance and where all the important decisions were made. It was also a domain where he had never been; it was forbidden for women and children to enter while the generals sat in conference. However, Zuko knew he would some day enter the war room when he had the title of Fire Lord. All he had to do was wait.

Unfortunately, Zuko was not a patient youth.

From behind him a pale almost boney hand snaked around his shoulder from behind. Instantly the prince stiffened and when his elder sister, Xue Wei, began to chant he scowled and twisted from her cruel embrace.

"Zuko, Zuko, where have you been? I went to the war room to see the king. Zuko, Zuko what did you do there? I got frightened by a mouse under the chai-"

"Shut up." He growled at her, "You know I hate that rhyme."

Xue Wei giggled delighted at the knowledge that her little brother was pissed. She always took delight in watching suffering of any kind. She would even go out of her way to inflict it. Her boney features would contort in delight and her gray eyes, inherited by her mother, would sparkle with ecstasy. Though she was too ill too often to be considered fair, Xue Wei had dozens of men on her rope and knew them quite well.

"I know, that's why I recite it. It is one of my favorites." She replied as Zuko lashed out, his hand finding its target at her neck.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't torch you, Xue Wei." He demanded of her.

"Temper, temper, little brother." She whispered with an impish grin, " It just so happens that you have softened my heart with your perseverance- standing in front of the door like a lost mutt."

His grip tightened and he questioned, "You have a heart? Don't flatter yourself."

Xue Wei kept her impish grin and with applied pressure on his pressure point, Zuko let go. Once free of his constricting hand, she elaborated.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you could talk Uncle Iroh to sneak you in? Honestly, Zuko, your in a position of power, you need to start using it."

"But manipulate our Uncle?" Zuko questioned. As much as Iroh's talk of tea infuriated him, he still held the old general in great respect.

"And why not?" Xue Wei questioned leaving Zuko to his thoughts. A grin spread across her face, knowing that Zuko would blow his cover once he was in the room. Their father would be furious, and there was no telling how he would castigate Zuko.

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**Ain't Xue Wei a piece of work? Please review. Cookies for all who do. Next chapter will probably be Azula centered. Ain't it funny how Iroh's word strike so true? **


	2. An interesting proposition

**Disclaimer: I only own Xue Wei. Avatar characters and plot line ain't mine. If they were the show would be screwed up beyond belief and chances are nobody would watch it.**

**A/N: thanks to reviewers. You keep this drabbley project up. After rereading the last chapter I realized I did not finish mentioning when in the time line this took place. For those who don't know last chapter took place before Zuko's little out burst in the war room. This one takes place a few hours after the prince spoke out.**

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Agni Kai, the two most glorious words to Princess Azula. Not only did the Agni Kai provide entertainment, but it also offered shame to the looser. When she heard that word coupled with her brother's name she made her way down to her sister's, Xue Wei's, chambers. For surely if anyone had the whole story it was her.

Azula pulled back the curtain at the door with not so much as a warning of her entrance. Instantly she regretted it. Her sister sat on the chaise lounge with a bare leg wrapped around a noble man's son's waist as bold as you please and her tongue half way down his throat.

The child prodigy cleared her throat to make her presence known. Instantly the young man stood up, much to Xue Wei's disappointment and left bowing to Azula all the while trying to keep his trousers up. In return Xue Wei gave her little sister a look to kill.

"Oh, sorry, Xue, I didn't know you were whoring." Azula mock apologized, letting the insult seep in.

"You came here for a reason, I presume."

"Actually I did." Came the reply as the younger sat down next to Xue Wei. "I heard Zuko got in over his head."

"An Agni Kai," The elder by five years said fastening her tunic, "He got the bright idea to sneak into the war room and disgraced one of our generals."

"So he'll be fighting a general?" Azula questioned, "Oh this is too perfect."

Xue Wei stood up and stifled a cough into her silk handkerchief with her back to her sister. "You know, for a prodigy, you are rather dim." She commented at last.

"Say that to my face, you whore." Azula growled spinning the other around.

"Its just that Zuko will be able to beat his opponent, if you had the sense of a flea you'd know that. Uncle Iroh is his teacher after all."

"That old fuddy-duddy? He may be a master but our uncle's skills have been wasted on tea as of late." Azula scoffed.

"Still, there's talk that Zuko has disgraced Father and it is he who should fight Zuko in the Angi Kai." Xue Wei informed heading out of the door. "Now if you excuse me, I have to see a Colonel's son about something." And then she left with out any further elaboration.

Princess Azula sat on the chaise lounge deep in thought for the next five minutes. As much as she disliked her eldest sibling, Xue Wei put an interesting idea on the table. Zuko did insult Father when he spoke out in the war room earlier that day. If only Father could see that. She knew how low his opinion was of his heir, and it would make the match all together more interesting if Ozai would fight Zuko. With her mind made up and a twisted smile on her face, Azula stood up and walked out of the room. She knew she would succeed in convincing her father to fight. After all, she _was_ his favorite.

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**Yay! Chapt.2 is done. It feels rather rushed but I am used to writing long elaborate scenes and no drabbley one-shots. Tell me what you think.I think in the next chapter Zuko will cross one of his sisters. Though I'm not sure who yet. Tell me what you think. Suggestions are welcome. As always review please.**


	3. So many things are flammable

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my oc(s). This makes me moo in utter despair. And my friends are no help either. " Moo me a river, milk me a bridge and get over it." They say. I will get right on that as soon as I figure out how to make a bridge over a vast ocean of 'moos'. I am close, the chalk board is full of my mathematical calculations such as 1+2π 1+2π. I am beginning to think I took them too seriously…**

**A/N: Did you know too much caffeine can cause break outs? I learn something new every day. Oh and this is set some time between the time after Iroh's quote was made and obviously before Zuko's banishment. And yes, I am an evil hairbrush and take pride in it.**

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Prince Zuko scowled down at the training rink as Azula practiced her precision. Practice was futile though, for his little sister hit the bulls eye every time. A feeling of jealousy crept up into his breast bone as he snorted out a small puff of pure black smoke. Azula was always a natural, without having to work at it. She spent ten minutes daily 'practicing' and spent the rest goofing off with her air headed friend Tai Li. Whereas he spent every waking minute training ( except when she occupied the rink for her ten minutes) and was no better at his art than his dog was.

Zuko scowled as he unconsciously began to pace the upper aisle. He felt he was cursed. Nobody in the history of the world had such detestable siblings as he had. Azula got everything; the skills, the benefit of the doubt and of course, their parents' affection. How Zuko wanted Ozai and Miyako's attention and support! He hated his older sister, Xue Wei, almost as much as he despised Azula. Xue Wei would always recite that old nursery rhyme she edited to feature him. And she always some how managed to frame him in some way to get him in trouble.

"Hey Zuko!" A voice greeted followed by an overwhelming pat on the back. Not only did it knock Zuko to the ground, but it caused him to emit a ball of fire from his right hand. Instantly he was up and threatening to kill his friend, Lu Bao. He paused in mid-threat, the smell of smoke filled his nostrils. Zuko looked behind him, noticing the charred column that was perfectly unburnt before Lu Bao had knocked him down.

He shifted his gaze to his little sister in the rink below and instantly the wheels in his mind began to turn. Azula kicked at a straw-filled dummy which instantly lit up in flames.

It would be good to watch 'pristine' Azula do the same.

"Lu Bao," Zuko began, letting go of his friend's shirt, "Do me a favor, and trip me again as we step into the rink for training today."

Yes, it would be so satisfying to see his vexing sister afire. And all he had to sacrifice to get it was an unbruised back and scrapeless knees.

**XXXX that same day XXXX**

Zuko watched with much satisfaction as the royal family's healer spoke to Lady Miyako, his mother. Unfortunately Azula's friend Mai extinguished her. However the words 'painful' and 'third degree burns' were mentioned frequently by the healer. She would have to suffer several weeks of nothing but sitting around with their mother, Xue Wei and unfinished needle point. Miyako turned her gaze to her son as the healer explained how the 'accident' was caused. Her expression got darker by each word the healer uttered. His mother's expression said that Zuko would pay, and dearly for his actions, accident or not.

Zuko leaned against the pillar and listened to the healer explain that Azula could have permanent scars on her arm from this. And to Zuko it was well worth the promise of punishment, for he learned that his sisters were indeed flammable.

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**If it is at all possible, I think this is the shortest chappie I ever written. Azula is my favorite character in the series so far besides Momo ( he sounds just like my kitty- cat!) Reviews are always welcome. Thanks again for all who reviewed.**


	4. The pelt

**Disclaimer: the only thing I own is my oc who isn't all that great, the bitchyness is tolerable due to her family line, but she is quite the scarlet woman, don't you think?**

**A/N: I think last chapter was the first one I wrote with out expressing my thanks to the reviewers. You guys rock, even those that read and never review. You guys are my inspiration, I see several new reviews and I try to churn out a chapter that week. Big hug to all my readers and reviewers. Oh and you know that I leave the timeline up for interpretation. And this tine ain't no different. Oh and you all are probally wondering about the evil hair brush. Well Deamon Fire reviewed on a sugar high, I guess, and called me an evil hair brush. Which I am. HaHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA ha.**

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Prince Zuko crept silently down the hallway. The stone floors felt cool on his bare feet. The dead of night had dropped a shroud of quiet on the Fire Lord's castle. The silence choked him as he groped his way down the shadowy halls. The metal of the scissors, so cold at first touch were now warmed by his grip.

He turned the corner only to find two guards on their rounds. They had saw him and began walking in Zuko's direction. Needless to say, hiding was futile at this point. So he stood there at the corner, the scissors hidden safely behind his back. The prince thought frantically for an alibi.

"Prince Zuko," one of the guards said saluting him, "What brings you out?"

Zuko answered in a sneer, "Do I need to tell you what I'm doing in my father's castle?"

"Maybe." The other guard replied thoughtfully, the fact that it was a rhetorical question escaped him, "If you were a traitor…I'd go with no, my prince." He could not see a boy so devoted to his people as a traitor. The fact that Zuko was a gangling preteen convinced him.

The first guard, and slightly smarter of the two, hit his fellow upside the head. "Let's go." He grumbled before he gave a low bow to Zuko and left.

The prince stayed glued to his spot, until the guards had disappeared around another corner. As soon as they had left, Zuko took the scissors from their last minute sheath and quickly continued on his way.

His older sister, Xue Wei, had her quarters over the gardens, which allowed her numerous lovers to sneak in. Zuko knew there would not be many guards around, for Xue Wei had specifically asked them to spend less time guarding her quarters. Zuko didn't blame them, either, the sounds he had heard before from in there made him want to be celibate for the rest of his days. Zuko paused at the threshold and listened for a moment. All was silent and with a sigh of a relief he continued through the silken curtain/door.

Xue Wei's chambers were vast and quiet. She was always fond of sheer drapings and had them artistically hung from where ever room allowed. Like a tiger stalking his prey, Zuko padded soundlessly across Xue Wei's sitting room and into her sleeping chambers.

Ozai's eldest laid on her bed with a Yuu Yan archer she had taken a fancy to earlier that week. She was clad in only a sheer drapery and instantly Zuko was grateful for the dark. Her head rested on her lover's bare muscular chest and her right leg was draped over his abdomen. Zuko paused at the bed side, the twin blades ready in his hand. Both princess and archer breathed deeply, lost in sleep. They were spent for the night and would not be rousing until dawn. And then it would be too late.

Zuko reached out with cold fingers and gathered a large chunk of his sister's beloved hair. In several soft snips, her long hair lay severed in Zuko's hands. And holding his prize like a pelt, Zuko crept out of the room, leaving the only one trace of his presence; an unevenly cut head of hair on Xue Wei, ranging from shoulder length to just below the scalp.

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**Ok, so he didn't really screw her over like he did Azula but , hey he was young…sort of. Aw moo, you do the math then review and tell me what you think. This was written in midst of reinstalling our kitchen sink so I must say this one wasn't one of my bests. Oh well. I'm still working on that bridge…never hire smurfs as contractors. Reviewers shall get cyber cookies or eternal gratitude, which ever sounds better.**


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